Piano action



PIANO ACTION Filed Dec. lO, 1942 Patented Oct. 31, 1944 PIAN O ACTION Charles Frederick Stein, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Pratt, Read tl Co., Inc., Ivoryton, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application December 10, 1942, Serial No. 468,459

Claims. (C1. 811-240) This invention relates in general to piano actions and in particular to improvements in a drop-type action for a low upright piano.

In the drop-type actions of the prior artfor low uprig t pianos the abstracts are normally pivotally connected to the whip and extended upwardly for operative connection with a corresponding key. Since the upper ends of the abstracts in some types of these actions are free of the remainder of the action, the abstracts tend to fall forwardly away from the action on disconnection of the upper or head end of the abstract from a corresponding key. As a result during the final manufacturing steps in the assembly of the actiony when the abstracts are entirely separate from the keys, the abstracts are often in the way unless special precautions are taken to retain them, and they may be particularly awkward and clumsy to handle and pack for shipping. The same diiculty applies when unpacking and getting the action ready for assembly in a piano case. These conditions affect the cost of manufacturing the action and the assembly of the action with the remaining portions of the piano, and also appreciably increase the labor and material costs for packing and shipping the action.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide an improved drop-type action for low upright pianos.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved means, in a piano action having an abstract `which normally falls forwardly away from the action on disconnection from a corresponding keyy for retaining the disconnected abstract in a supported position adjacent the action for handling therewith as a single unit for shipping and assembly purposes.

A feature of this invention is found in the provision of a piano action having a pivoted abstract which falls normally forwardly of the action when disconnected from a corresponding key, in which the hammer rest rail in the action is constructed for cooperative engagement with the abstract head to positively retain the disconnected abstract in a supported position adjacent the piano action.

Further objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a. view in perspective of a piano action showing the abstract connected with a corresponding key-for normal operation;

Fig. 2 is a view illustrated similarly to Fig. 1

showing the abstract connected with the hammer rest railior handling with the piano action;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan View oi the hammer rest rail; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detailed elevational view of the abstract head portion.

Piano actions are commonly handled apart from the piano case for both adjustment and shipping purposes; Since the abstracts of some of the drop-type actions of the prior art are pivotally connected to the whip and hammer assembly and freely swingable from the top when disconnected from the keys, they are apt to fall forwardly away from the action when not connected with their corresponding keys. As explained above, this diiiiculty normally results in inconvenience in the assembly and handling of the piano action as well as in increased labor costs. These diiiiculties have been overcome .in the present invention by constructing the hammer rest rail in the piano action to serve as a supporting rail common to all of the abstracts, to support the abstracts when they are disconnected from their corresponding keys. The hammer rest rail has a longitudinally extending groove in its top portion forwardly of the piano action which groove is connected with a plurality of spaced slots or openings formed in the front of the hammer rest rail and corresponding to the abstracts. On disconnection of an abstract from a corresponding key the abstract is pivotally moved rearwardly toward the piano action to locate the abstract head in such groove, the abstract lifter rod being received within a corresponding slot during the positioning of the abstract head in the groove. Each abstract is thus individually movable to a supported position adjacent the piano action and positively connected with the action for handling therewith as a single unit.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2 the piano action is shown as supported principally on a rail l0 which in turn is mounted on a plurality of mounting brackets il. A whip l2 is pivotally connected in a suitable manner to the rail I0 and in turn pivotally supports a jack or fly i3. The .lack engages in theusual manner the butt l5 of a hammer I4 and as the Whip is raised its motion is transmitted through the jack to pivot the hammer into striking engagement with the corresponding piano string. A back check l 'l and bridle-strap I8 are both supported on the whip.

The abstract, designated generally as i9, includes a button-like head structure 20 having a substantially upright body portion of straight form over its entire length. A felt pad 2| is positioned at the bottom side of the structure 2i] for seating in a mating cavity 22 at the rear end of a key 23. The head 2D is threadably secured to a lifter rod 24 which is illustrated as being of a wire construction. The rod 24 and head 2U are connected to the key 23 by raising the head suiiiciently to clear the top of the key and sliding the rod in the longitudinally extending key slot 26 until the head is positioned in the cavity 22. As is clearly apparent from Fig. 4 the rod 24 is of a reduced section relative to the head 2 so that the head 20 forms a shoulder 25 at the upper end of the rod 24 for seating engagelnent in the key cavity 22. Since during normal operation of the action the head is not raised above the key the abstract is thus operatively secured in the key 23. Arranged at the lower end of the lifter rod 24 is a pivot or foot member 2 of a substantially L-shape, the upwardly extending leg portion being permanently secured to the lower end of the lifter rod in any suitable manner, and the other leg portion of the foot member 21 being pivotally connected to the whip I2.

The abstracts are thus seen to be arranged in a spaced relation the entire width of the piano action and forwardly thereof, with their connection to the action being only at the whip I2. On disengagement of an abstract I9 from a key 23, by lifting the abstract head 20 from the cavity 22, the abstracts are free to fall forwardly away from the action so as to project substantially laterally away from the action. It is readily apparent that this projecting of the abstracts from the action makes the job of removing or assembling the action in a piano case very diilicult, and presents the same difiiculty when the keys and action are separated for repair or like purposes.

This diiiculty is overcome in the present invention by means including the hammer rest rail 28 of the action. The hammer rest rail is of a usual type having a portion 29 toward the rear of the action for supporting the hammers I4. The portion of the rail 28, at the front of the action, has a longitudinally extending groove or recess 3I in the top thereof which forms a lip or wall portion 32 at the front of the rest rail extending the complete length of the rest rail (Fig. 3). The grove is oi a width to loosely receive a head portion 2li and is connected with a plurality of longitudinaliy spaced upright slots or openings 33 formed in the wall portion 32.

As shown in Fig. l an abstract IS is connected witha corresponding key 23 for normal operation. On disconnection of the abstract head 20 from the key 23 the abstract I9 is pivotally moved rearwardly toward the action or to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1. During this movement the lifter rod 2L! is directed into a. corresponding slot 33 and the abstract head 20 is raised sufficiently to .ear the lip or front wall 32 for positioning in the groove With the abstract head 20 in the groove 3! the shoulder portion 25 thereof rests on the bottom of the groove 3l to maintain the abstract I9 from dropping downwardly, while the front wall 32 engages the abstract head 20 at a corresponding slot 33 to support the abstract against falling forwardly away from the action. The abstract I3, therefore, is positively connected with the action for handling therewith as a complete unit for assemby and shipping purposes. As clearly appears from Figs. 1 and 2 the disconnection of the abstract I9 from a key 23 into a supported position on the piano action is accomplished by simply moving the abstract I9 plvotally rearwardly to locate the abstract head 20 in the groove 3|. Conversely, the abstract is assembled with the key 23 by merely moving the abstract I9 pivotally forwardly of the piano action to seat the abstract head 20 at the cavity 22 in the rear of the key 23. The disconnection and connection of an abstract I9 relative to a corresponding key 23 and the supporting rail 28 is thus conveniently accomplished with a minimum of effort by a substantially continuous movement of the abstract I9 in a single direction.

From a consideration of the above description, therefore, it is seen that the invention provides means which is of a simple and sturdy design and which uses existing parts of the piano action to positively support a disconnected abstract in a. position adjacent the action so as to be included as a unit with the action. The construction of the rest rail 28 to engage the abstract head 20 is readily accomplished by simple machining operations so as to reduce the cost of the abstract supporting means to a minimum.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment thereof it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since modifications and alterations can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as dened by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a piano action for a piano having a key, said action including an abstract having a lower portion connected into the action and a top portion normally falling forwardly away from the action upon disconnection from said key, the means for retaining the abstract top portion adjacent the action upon said disconnection from a key including a supporting portion having a depression therein longitudinally of the action and a side wall at the front thereof, said side wall having a vertical opening therein opening into said depression, with said opening adapted to receive a portion of said abstract below the top portion and said depression adapted to receive said top portion of the abstract and prevent it from falling downwardly away from said action.

2. In a piano action for a piano having a. key, said action including an abstract corresponding to said key having a lower portion connected into said action and an upper portion normally falling forwardly away from said action on disconnection of said abstract and key, the means for supporting said abstract against falling away from said action upon said disconnection including a hammer rest rail in said action with a longitudinally extending grooveopen at the top of said rail, said rail having an upright slot at the front thereof extended rearwardly of said rail for connection with said groove, said slot being adapted to receive a portion of said abstract below said upper portion, and said groove being adapted to receive said upper portion to support it against falling away from said action.

3. In a piano action for a piano having a key, said action including an abstract with a button structure at its upper end connectible and disconnectible with said key, and a lower portion connected into said action, with said upper end normally falling forwardly away from said action on disconnection of said button structure and key, the means for retaining said upper end adjacent said piano action on said disconnection including a supporting rail in said action having a recessed portion open toward the top of said action and an upright extending opening in a Side portion of said supporting rail at the front of said action connected with said recessed portion, with said opening being adapted to receive said upper end, and said recessed portion adapted to receive said button structure to retain said upper end from falling away from said action.

4. In a piano action for a piano having a key, said action including an abstract having a foot portion pivotally connected to said action anda head portion separably connected with said key i but free of the action, a lifter portion for conportion toward the front of said action, said wall portion having an upright slot therein extended rearwardly of said action for connection with said groove, with said slot adapted to receive said lifter portion and said groove adapted to receive said head portion, with engagement of said head portion with the wall portion at said groove retaining said lifter portion in said substantially upright position.

5. In a piano action having an abstract unit with a top member and an adjacent body portion which will normally fall forwardly away from the action when the abstract unit is disconnected from a key; the means in said action for releasably retaining Asaid abstract unit against falling forwardly including a longitudinally eX- tending rail having a Vertical slot in the front wall thereof for receiving the abstract-unit-adjacent-body portion and said rail having a depression therein in the body thereof rearwardly of the front wall and opening from said vertical slot to receive and releasably retain the top member when the abstract-unit-adjacent-body portion is in the corresponding vertical slot.

CHARLES FREDERICK STEIN. 

